Press Trust of India, Logically collaborate to counter election-related misinformation in India

10th August, 2023

The Indian board of directors marks Logically’s commitment to tackling increasing misinformation, disinformation and fake news in the region ahead of upcoming state and union elections

Logically, the tech company working to leverage AI and human expertise to tackle misinformation, disinformation and fake news has today announced the creation of its strategic governance board in India. Following another year of growth for Logically, having launched its independent fact-checking subsidiary, Logically Facts in April, and with a poignant election year ahead for India, the board will guide Logically’s Indian entity in its fight against ‘fake news’ in the Indian subcontinent.

Recent research shows that over 52% of Indians use social media as a source of news, underscoring that measures must be taken to prevent social media from being used to amplify false, misleading and potentially harmful narratives. This requires efforts from a variety of stakeholders, from regulators, governments, social media platforms and social media users, but more so, it's an issue that varies significantly depending on the region.

With over 74 employees based in India across both businesses, Logically and Logically Facts, support government and private enterprise, and social media platforms respectively. Government and private sector work is conducted by Logically’s expert team of OSINT analysts with support from its AI-powered threat intelligence platform, Logically IntelligenceⓇ. Logically’s independent fact-checking unit, Logically Facts, works with some of the largest social media platforms and is headed up by ex-IFCN Director, Baybars Orsek who oversees and ensures complete editorial independence of its fact-checking work.

As a global organisation with vast experience tackling mis-and disinformation across the globe, the creation of Logically’s Indian governance board, which is composed of eminent individuals, will ensure Logically’s government and private sector services are tailored to the requirements of the Indian subcontinent. The board will also be responsible for ensuring data processed by the organisation is localised within India, and they will have oversight of the organisation's client list, processes and functions.

Logically’s India board includes Dr Aruna Sharma, Mr Rajan K Medhekar and Lieutenant General(Retd) Deependra Singh Hooda and boasts experts in the fields of policy, military, digital transformation, e-governance, national security and defence who will support the organisation as it expands its work across the region.

• Dr Aruna Sharma is a Practitioner Development Economist and Policy Advisor. She was Secretary, Ministry of Electronics and IT and also worked as Secretary Steel in the Indian Government. In 2017 Dr Aruna was instrumental in bringing in the Steel Policy, changes in GFR and preference to Make in India to enhance domestic consumption of steel. Dr Aruna was a member of the Reserve Bank of India's High-level Committee on Deepening digital payments in India.
• Mr Rajan K Medhekar served in the Indian Police Service (IPS) for 37 years and undertook significant and sensitive assignments both in his home state of Kerala and for the Indian Government. He concluded his IPS career as Director General of the National Security Guard (NSG), the elite federal contingency special force for counter-terrorism and anti-hijack operations of the Government of India. He has substantial and varied experience in law enforcement, national security, intelligence, and crime investigation.
• Lieutenant General(Retd) Deependra Singh Hooda is the former General Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Indian Army's Northern Command. In a distinguished career spanning forty years, he served on both the Northern and Eastern borders of India and oversaw the planning & execution of the 'surgical strike' in Sep 2016. Gen Hooda is known for his forthright views on Kashmir and has constantly worked for upholding human rights during counter-insurgency operations.

Ravinder Reddy, VP and GM of India at Logically, said: “The establishment of the India board comes at a crucial time for Logically as India gears up for the upcoming state and general elections. Malicious online activity can inflict real-world damage, whether it's manipulating public opinion, increasing societal, religious, and cultural divisions.”
“India is at a point right now where progress in most fields is severely hampered by misinformation, disinformation, and fake news. Logically aims to partner with public and private sector partners in tackling this problem through its AI-enabled products and services, and help in India’s overall growth story.”

Lyric Jain, Founder, and CEO of Logically, said: “Access to relevant and trustworthy information is one of the cornerstones of a prosperous society. Addressing online harms and false information is extremely important in today's digital world. By detecting and responding to, as well as predicting and preventing emerging disinformation, we aim to reduce the harm associated with false and misleading information on people, communities, and nations.”

“I am delighted to see us announce Logically’s India board as it comes at such an important point in our global expansion. With multiple large democracies gearing up for elections in 2024, the problem must be tackled by a combination of human expertise and technology, as well as tailored regional-specific approaches, which is why we are investing in localising technology and intelligence through localised models, datasets and servers.” Jain concluded.